When a man, woman, or a child has been raped, TV news sources, fictitious TV shows and documentaries usually avoid saying that the victim was raped. They almost always say they were “sexually assaulted.”

Saying that an adult or a child was sexually assaulted can mean any number of things. “Sexually assaulted” usually brings the thought of sexually molested with no penetration. It’s fine to say “sexually assaulted” when the victim was molested but when there was rape, I want people to tell it like it is. I get pretty sick of the media toning down what really happened for the sake of people’s self-comfort.

The same anger is drawn within me when people say “unimaginable,” “unbelievable,” and “unspeakable” when referring to child sexual abuse, child rape and child murder. These crimes are believable, they are imaginable and they must be spoken about. Rape happens to children every day and many adult women are also raped daily. Reporters, TV news anchors, and documentary narrators, need to stop trying to cater to the self-comfort of society. When a child has been raped. Say the word “rape” because it forces people to face reality.